His Rotundity

John Adams was our first vice president under George Washington and later elected as our second American President (March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801). He is often confused with his son John Quincy Adams, who became the sixth President. They were the first father-son duo who became President. George Bush and George W. Bush would become the second father-son presidential duo.

He was one of the most influential of the founding fathers, although he was more successful as a philosopher than as a president. Back during his own time, his accomplishments as a president were not celebrated and often overlooked. This may have been in part due to his introverted personality and lack of good looks that caused him to be nicknamed "His Rotundity." Fortunately now, we can see all the great things he did and the impact he made on the United States of America. He helped set the groundwork for our country and is part of the reason our country is the country it is today.

Photo

Not only was he one of our founding fathers, but he was also our first vice-president. | Source

Family Life

He was born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree, Massachusetts Bay and died at age 90 on July 4, 1826. Coincidentally he died just hours before Thomas Jefferson. As legend has it, his ironic last words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives."

Adams and his wife Abigail Smith had six children. He and his wife were considered to have a very good relationship. John Quincy Adams was his second born. One of the six, which he named Elizabeth was born as a stillborn. Only four of his children survived until adulthood.

He was part of the Unitarianism faith, although they claimed they were Christian, they did not believe in the Trinity. Those with the Unitarianism faith believed that God was only one person, separate from Jesus Christ. His father actually had other dreams for him and wanted him to become a minister. John had doubts that ministerial duties were the correct path for him.

Our second President was also our first vice-president. | Source

Fought for America's Independence

Prior to becoming President, he graduated from Harvard University then worked as a lawyer. At Harvard, he learned very good debating skills and used these skills throughout his life. He was even nicknamed, "The Washington of Negotiations," because of his ability to use his words to get what he wanted. This unique ability saved America from warring with France.

He played a leading role in the Independence of the United States during the American Revolution. By being part of the first Continental Congress, men listened to him as he became one of the first men to suggest that America become Independent. He felt so strongly about this cause and others took notice. He was one of the men chosen to assist Thomas Jefferson in drafting the United States Declaration of Independence. Adams also wrote most of Bill of Rights.

Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was John Adams wife and mother of John Quincy Adams. They had a very healthy marriage | Source

Vice President to George Washington

Although George Washington was elected unanimously, each electorate had 2 votes. Washington had one vote of all 69, whereas John Adams came in second with 34 of the remaining 69 votes. As a result, he was elected as Vice President, which he felt was a pointless job. He even is quoted as complaining to his wife, "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." This poor attitude and lack of enthusiasm may be another reason he was not a favorite among the people.

During the first year of George Washington's Presidency, Adams wanted the President to have a title such as "Your Majesty the President," or "Your Mightiness." The plain title of "President of the United States," eventually won out. They felt that by having "your majesty," or "Your mightiness" it was giving too many ties to England that they wanted to be free from. Due to this as well as his stout stature, he received the nickname, "His Rotundity."

Excerpt from the History Channel

Unpopular During His Presidency

During the election of 1796, in which John Quincy was elected, Thomas Jefferson and he were fierce competitors. Although some preferred Alexander Hamilton, Adams was chosen to represent the Federalist Party, mostly because he was believed to be the lesser of two evils.

The reason for the hesitancy to have him lead the country was felt because John Adams did not have the popularity nor the seriousness that allowed Washington to be so incredibly successful. They also feared that John was too opinionated, vain, and stubborn to follow their directions. The reason that he may have ended up winning the spot was that he seemed to be the most logical step since he had spent eight years as Vice President.

Thomas Jefferson opposed him by being part of the Democratic-Republican party. The race was so tight that John Adams only won by three votes. He had 71 electoral votes whereas Jefferson had 68. Thomas Jefferson became the second Vice President of the United States as a result.

Adams was not an extremely popular president, in part because he was believed to be an unpracticed leader. Many felt that he should have found new cabinet members, instead of keeping the ones Washington had in place. John spent much of his presidency in his hometown and even admitted in his late age that he didn't handle some of the Presidential responsibility as well as he should have. He stated, "[As president] I refused to suffer in silence. I sighed, sobbed, and groaned, and sometimes screeched and screamed. And I must confess to my shame and sorrow that I sometimes swore."

He did not make any great proposals during his presidency, and the country was pretty stagnant to change during his term. It was not a surprise that he lost the next election to Thomas Jefferson, his current Vice President.

At the end of his Presidency, he became the first President to live in the White House. The White House was never completely finished during his stay there. On his second day in the White House, he wrote a note to his wife, he stated, "Before I end my letter, I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof." After he left office, he retired to Massachusetts and lived longer than any President dying at age 91.

Basic Facts

Question

Answer

Born

October 30, 1735 - Massachusetts Bay, British America

President Number

2

Party

Federalist

Military Service

none

Wars Served

none

Age at Beginning of Presidency

62 years

Term of Office

March 4, 1797 - March 3, 1801

How Long President

4 years

Vice-President

Thomas Jefferson

Age and Year of Death

July 4, 1826 (aged 90)

Cause of Death

unknown

List of American Presidents

1. George Washington

16. Abraham Lincoln

31. Herbert Hoover

2. John Adams

17. Andrew Johnson

32. Franklin D. Roosevelt

3. Thomas Jefferson

18. Ulysses S. Grant

33. Harry S. Truman

4. James Madison

19. Rutherford B. Hayes

34. Dwight D. Eisenhower

5. James Monroe

20. James Garfield

35. John F. Kennedy

6. John Quincy Adams

21. Chester A. Arthur

36. Lyndon B. Johnson

7. Andrew Jackson

22. Grover Cleveland

37. Richard M. Nixon

8. Martin Van Buren

23. Benjamin Harrison

38. Gerald R. Ford

9. William Henry Harrison

24. Grover Cleveland

39. James Carter

10. John Tyler

25. William McKinley

40. Ronald Reagan

11. James K. Polk

26. Theodore Roosevelt

41. George H. W. Bush

12. Zachary Taylor

27. William Howard Taft

42. William J. Clinton

13. Millard Fillmore

28. Woodrow Wilson

43. George W. Bush

14. Franklin Pierce

29. Warren G. Harding

44. Barack Obama

15. James Buchanan

30. Calvin Coolidge

45. Donald Trump

Fun Facts

Died hours after his successor Thomas Jefferson on July 4th, 1826.

He led the movement for the Declaration of Independence, although often overlooked since Jefferson penned it.

First president to live in the new capital of Washington D.C and the first to live in the White House.

The first president to have a son also become president.

His last words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives," which ironically he died just hours before.

Bibliography

Sullivan, George. Mr. President: A Book of U.S. Presidents. New York: Scholastic, 2001. Print.

What are some interesting facts about presidents and first ladies? (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2016, from https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/what-are-some-interesting-facts-about-presidents-first-ladies

Questions & Answers

Questions must be on-topic, written with proper grammar usage, and understandable to a wide audience.

Comments

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sending

Nathan Bernardo

6 years agofrom California, United States of America

Presidents are an interesting subject to me, and I didn't know Adams was kind of unpopular; but it makes sense because you don't hear things about him like you do a President like Washington or Jefferson. However, it's interesting his role in the early United States. Sounds like he was a bit honest, that can make you unpopular.

Good and fascination info. Thanks for sharing.

AUTHOR

Angela Michelle Schultz

8 years agofrom United States

No, I haven't. What is it called?

Raymond Tremain

8 years agofrom Metro Manila Philippines

Has anyone seen the film made and called John Adams this tells the life history of John Adams about how he was elected, its been shown many times over here in aussie land, and it is a great film, if you have not seen it you should.

God loves all

AUTHOR

Angela Michelle Schultz

8 years agofrom United States

Very true. :)

Don A. Hoglund

8 years agofrom Wisconsin Rapids

Most of our presidents were humans who had some good qualities and some bad.The reason we have limited terms is to avoid one man dominating the office.

AUTHOR

Angela Michelle Schultz

8 years agofrom United States

Are you serious? God did not bless John Adams prayer and put only good men in the White House? I guess maybe one or two "bad" men got elected in there... So, out of the 44 Presidents, how many do you think went bad? LOL

Harlan Colt

8 years agofrom the Rocky Mountains

Jimmy Carter is about 110 now isn't he? LOL just kidding.

I liked this article, I love history though. I am sorry to report God did not grant Adam's prayer for only good men to enter into the Whitehouse, as we have had many a liar and "intern-chaser" occupy that grand old mansion.

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